The Founders
I founded Gut Instinct with the intention of fostering authentic human conversations. What has consistently moved me is the symbiotic relationship between media and society–how media influences society and, in turn, how societal dynamics shape the media. Recognizing this interplay, I find it crucial to ensure that the media we present is genuine and reflective of real experiences.
-Natalie McCarty
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Founder, CEO, Editor-in-Chief, & Creative Director
Based in Los Angeles, Natalie is the founder of Gut Instinct, a media platform dedicated to honest conversation, cultural criticism, and politically conscious storytelling. With a background in communications, public relations, and political engagement, her work is shaped by a belief that media is inseparable from the social conditions in which it exists.
Her writing and editorial direction sit at the intersection of culture, activism, and lived experience from her time spent in New York and beyond. Natalie is interested in how film, music, art, and literature reflect systems of power, identity formation, grief, friendship, and personal growth—and how storytelling can serve as a form of civic participation. Drawing from her ties to advocacy and political awareness, she approaches media as both reflection and responsibility.
Through essays, interviews, and collaborative work, Gut Instinct creates space for emerging creatives while engaging critically with the world as it is. At its core, the platform is invested in connection between people, ideas, and the stories that shape how we understand ourselves and one another.
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Co-Founder, Head Writer, & Event Coordinator
Based in Phoenix, Stella is a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University studying Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in business. She is making her mark in the world of journalism with both creative and strategic skills needed in today’s media landscape. As the Co-Founder and Head Writer, she hopes to inspire and inform her audience with impactful stories about community, conversation, and culture.
Known for her active involvement in the community, Stella is a familiar face at local events and a voice in local publications. She takes every opportunity to expand her experience and insights, and loves to step outside of her comfort zone. With a constant curiosity for the world around her, Stella always has something to write about. And, she focuses on sharing these stories to connect and resonate with readers.
Meet the Team
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![A woman with short blonde hair, makeup, and a septum piercing, sitting on a ledge near a pool with blue mosaic tiles, wearing a black sleeveless top and camouflage shorts.]()
Yselia Gutierrez
Brand Visualist
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![Young woman with dark hair, wearing sunglasses, a colorful sleeveless top, and accessories, standing in front of a teal metal security door. She has her hands behind her head and looks at the camera.]()
CG Morand
Senior Style & Ethics Staff Writer
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![Black and white photo of a woman with wavy hair resting her chin on her hands, looking thoughtfully at the camera.]()
Bella Kovar
Senior Pop Culture Staff Writer & Mixed Media Artist
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![A young woman with glasses and dark hair in a bun wearing a denim dress and holding a purple purse, standing indoors against a dark background.]()
Reese Carmen Villella
Senior Culture & Politics Staff Writer
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![A young woman with short brown hair and earrings stands outdoors among trees with pink and green leaves, holding a white stick near her face, wearing a sleeveless striped dress.]()
Kelly Darroch
Senior Editorial Staff Writer
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![A woman with long dark hair and a black sleeveless top looking over her shoulder and smiling at the camera in a room with white walls.]()
Arya Desai
Senior Film & Entertainment Staff Writer
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![A woman sitting on a beige chair with her legs crossed, wearing a white blouse, red and white checkered shorts, and tall brown boots with leopard print accents. She has multiple necklaces, rings, a red belt, and a red headband. Behind her is a colorful curtain with floral and bird patterns, and a map on the wall.]()
Audrey Treon
Senior Fashion & Editorial Staff Writer
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![A woman smiling and sitting on the ground, wearing a black hat, a black lace dress, and colorful wristbands, surrounded by people at a crowded event.]()
Julia Krys
Senior Film & Entertainment Staff Writer
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![A young woman sitting on a bed with a vintage rotary phone, in a bedroom with colorful decor.]()
Iris Vaughn
Fashion & Lifestyle Staff Writer
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![A young woman in a white dress kneeling on grass in a garden, holding a bouquet of flowers and smiling at the camera.]()
Julia King
Culture & Politics Staff Writer
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![A woman with short brown hair, wearing makeup and a nose ring, looking at the camera while standing outdoors at dusk. She wears a black top with a patterned shirt underneath and a necklace. There's a bouquet of colorful flowers on a table beside her.]()
Joshua Holtzman
Editorial Staff Writer
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![Anna Seger]()
Anna Seger
Culture & Politics Staff Writer
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![A woman smiling and sitting in a field of bright orange California poppies, holding a flower, wearing a floral dress, during daylight.]()
Néya Sridhar
Film & Entertainment Staff Writer
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![A young woman with wavy brown hair, wearing a white long-sleeve top, blue jeans, and purple tights, standing in front of a dark textured wall, holding a phone in her hand, with a reddish-brown purse over her shoulder.]()
Luna O'Brien
Fashion & Lifestyle Staff Writer
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![A young man with curly hair, wearing a blue baseball cap, denim jacket, and jeans, sitting on the ground at night, looking down. There is a rusty metal railing above him and some grass and dirt in the background.]()
Axel Tamayo
Senior Graphic Designer & Photographer
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![A woman with dark skin, curly hair, red lipstick, and a septum piercing, wearing a black strapless top and a black flowy skirt, standing against a red background.]()
Katherine Mulinga
Pop Culture Staff Writer
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![A young woman with short dark hair, sunglasses on her head, wearing a white shirt and leopard print vest, walking on a cobblestone street near an ancient stone archway, in a busy city square with people and buildings in the background.]()
Sarah Bluett
Pop Culture Staff Writer
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![A young woman with long blonde hair standing indoors next to a window and a table with various objects. She is wearing a dark denim jacket over a white top.]()
Avery Wilson
Culture & Entertainment Staff Writer
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![A young woman with long dark hair taking a photo with a smartphone on a city street, with modern and historic buildings in the background.]()
Zoe CN Smith
Editorial Staff Writer
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![A young person with dark skin and long, reddish-brown, curly dreadlocks looks to the side against a plain white background.]()
Sterling Carr
Lifestyle & Editorial Staff Writer
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![A young woman with dark brown hair, wearing red lipstick, a white fur coat, and hoop earrings, with one hand behind her head, posing against a teal background.]()
Danielle Carnivele
Pop Culture Staff Writer
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![A woman with long blonde hair, sunglasses on her head, and earrings resting her chin on her hand, smiling with closed eyes, standing partially hidden behind a wall in a room with beige walls.]()
Amy Walter
Music, Media, & Lifestyle Staff Writer
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![A girl in black jacket and shorts standing barefoot on the sand at the beach, smiling with hands around her face, with waves and a ship in the background.]()
Angelica Ruiz
Culture, Music & Politics Staff Writer
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![A woman with long reddish-brown hair sitting on a dark leather couch in a wooden-paneled room with framed photographs on a windowsill behind her, smiling at the camera.]()
Debra Murray
Film & Media Staff Writer
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![Young person sitting in a room with a wooden desk, bulletin board, and various posters and photos on the wall. They are wearing a colorful patterned sweater.]()
Bruce Gregg
President of Frat Magazine
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![A woman with long brown wavy hair, wearing earrings, looking at the camera, against a plain brown background.]()
Annabel Gregg
Culture & Lifestyle Staff Writer
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![Young woman in a red dress holding spiral notebooks, standing against a white brick wall.]()
Georgia Mills
Pop Culture Staff Writer
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![Young woman with long brown hair and blue eyes wearing a silver sequin top, posing against a dark background.]()
Amelie Jordan
Junior Graphic Designer
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![A woman sitting at a restaurant table, smiling and holding a pink and white napkin in her hands. The table has menus, a smartphone, and a paper bag labeled 'The Permit Room.' The background features a patterned beige wall.]()
Nomi Makin
Editorial & Lifestyle Staff Writer
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![Young woman with long dark hair wearing a pink sleeveless top and blue jeans, accessorized with jewelry, standing with hands on hips against a plain wall.]()
Maleah Puente
Style Features Staff Writer
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![A young woman with blonde hair and sunglasses on her head standing on a city street during sunset, with historic buildings and cars in the background.]()
Catherine Murphy
Media & Lifestyle Staff Writer
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![A woman with long, wavy dark hair, wearing a green top with gathered sleeves, a black necklace with green and white beads, and red lipstick, is leaning slightly forward and looking at the camera against a plain white wall.]()
Katherine Figuera
Music Editorial Lead
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![Close-up of a woman with curly hair, wearing a white strapless top and a gold necklace, outdoors with palm trees and wooden structures in the background, during bright sunlight.]()
Maddie Cottrell
Photographer
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![A woman with long black hair wearing a sparkly silver top, black shorts, and knee-high black boots standing on a balcony at night, with her left hand on the railing and her right hand touching her neck.]()
Mia Lyman
Music & Politics Staff Writer
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![A young woman with long brown hair wearing a black and white top with lace detail, sitting at a table indoors, with string lights hanging in the background.]()
Alivia Stonier
Pop Culture Staff Writer
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![Black and white close-up portrait of a young woman with shoulder-length dark hair and bangs, looking directly at the camera.]()
Sadie Jane Mayhew
Culture & Politics Staff Writer
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![A woman with curly hair wearing black sunglasses and a black top, illuminated by red and green lighting, in a dimly lit room with wooden walls and a chessboard on a table.]()
Laurel Sanders
Music Features Staff Writer
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![Close-up of a smiling woman with black twist braids, wearing tortoiseshell glasses and a black blazer against a beige background.]()
Kianna Amaya
Media & Politics Staff Writer
